Pulp product production



May 9, 1944.

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PULP PRODUCT PRODUCTION Filed se t. 9,'194o 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 LE5 M WILEYdvamg W V 922/ Patented M... 9, 1944 PULP'PRODUCT PBQDUCTION Lee M.Wiley, Marion, 1116., asslgnor of one-third to Julian '1. Left andone-third to Keeley B Wiley, both of Marion, Ind. v

Application September 9, 1940, Serial No. 355,968

7 Claims.

, This invention relates to a method of fabricating liquid repellent andheat resistant structures such as relatively deep seamless containers,and the like, from sheet material of pulpcharacter and the additionalproducts or ingredients associated with or incorporated in such sheematerial.

Articles which may be so fabricated are of various forms. y

This invention is a continuation-in-part of the invention disclosed inthe copending application Serial No. 288,343, filed August 4, 1939, andentitled, "Sheet pulp container forming process and apparatus therefor,"and the present invention is directed primarily to the process andproduct.

In the before mentioned application, there is disclosed one method ofimpregnating prime sheet pulp material of bleached or unbleachedcharacter fed from rolls to the impregnating and moistening mechanismsand then fed therefrom to apparatus for severing blanks from the sheetmaterial for subsequent formation of .the several blanks into articleformation. 7 The present invention may utilize stock of this characteror may utilize stock wherein the impregnating materials are initiallyincorporated in the sheet at the time the pulp is formed into a sheet. ISuch latter stock merely requires moistening to the desired degree. a

The process may be practiced, if desired, at

' the dry end of the paper sheet forming machine, in which event, thesheet is riot dried to the extent required for shipment but only to thatrequired for operation in this invention. The invention disclosedherein, therefore, is capable of being applied to the end of a papersheet making machine providing the stock from that machine hasincorporated therein the proper materials and is of the proper moisturecontent, or the paper sheet from astandard machine may be fed totheiimpregnating mechanisms disclosed in the before mentionedapplication.

Either form of preliminary production may be utilized or any suitableform of preliminary production may be utilized, all without departingfrom the scope of the present invention.

The present. invention contemplates operating upon pulp material ofsheet form which is sufficiently moist to make the stock pliable withoutcracking and which stock has incorporated therein or applied to thesurface suitable sizing or resin to provide a proper understanding ofthe present invention, Figs. 2 to 7, inclusive, of the aforesaidapplication Serial No. 288,343, disclosure appear herein as Figs. 1 to6, inclusive. Inasmuch as the invention is primarily directed to ,aprocess and not to the specific apparatus illustrated herein by way ofexample only, and is directed to the product or material utilized, butbrief referenced herein will be had to the specific apparatus disclosureduplicated by way of drawing illustration.

The full nature of the presentinvention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical, sectional view through an embodiment representingthe blanking and initial forming portions of the apparatus, the inter-.

Y mediate turret and associated portions of the apparatus whereintheinitial form of the article is obtained, and the conveyor structure forremoving the initially formed articles for subsequent treatment.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the lastmentioned conveyorstructure, the initial drier. structure and a second conveyorarrangement adapted to receive the initially formed. articles followinginitial and "free" drying when discharged from the first conveyor.

Fig. 3 is a central sectional view. through one form of finishing pressand the second mentioned associated conveyor, the latter beingoperatively associated with the press for semi-final formation of thearticle and a second drier arrangement.

Fig. 4 illustrates the second mentioned conveyor I arrangement, thedischarge end of the second mentioned drier, an article dischargingmeans and an article receiving structure, by way of example only,inasmuch as the specific form of the present invention contemplatesinterposing, between the discharge of the second mentioned drier and thearticle discharging means, a final finishing press arrangement similarto that illusmaterial, including the necessary solvent or 501- vents, sothat the finished product will beheat resistant and liquid repellent,and under certain instances may have sufiicient dielectric strengthrendering same suitable for electrical insulationpurposes.

The present invention broadly is disclosed in the before mentionedapplication and copending continuation-impart.thereof, and for thatreason trated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of two separable pairs of forms carriedby the rotatable turret shown in Fig. 1, one pair being shown in openposition and the other in the closed position.

-.while illustrated herein as in a common plane at 90 apart, it is to beunderstood they are faced to planes 90 apart.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a sheet with areas for present blankingpurposes and openings formed by previous blankings suitably illustrated"therein.

In order that a more complete understanding of the process, the primarysubject matter of this invention, may be obtained, certain explanationswill be incorporated in the following description of the previouslyreferred to apparatus illustrated by Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, which issuitable for performing said process. i

which passes-over the roller 61 and thence over the roller 58 and is fedbetween the guide 60. The waste passes between the members 83 anddischarges to the container 86,' being reduced in size by means of thechoppers 85. Between the guides 60 and the elements 83, the sheet has anintermittent movement in timed relation to machine operation. Theinitial movement following one operation is to advance the sheet thedesired amount so as to present new areas from which additional blanksmay be cut-see Fig. 6.

These blanks are out while the sheet is stationary. The blanks, whilethe sheet is stationary, are forced through openings in the dies 66supported It will be understood there are two tiers of these dieopenings and associated therewith are two tiers of plungers 65 carriedby thecrosshead I4.

The blanking mechanism is carried by the cross-: head 68. Thus, theblanking mechanism makes initial contact with the sheet for blankformation and then the crosshead I4 is advanced to draw the blanks thusformed through the confronting creasing structures 66 and 61 by pushingcentrally on each formed, then are caused by plungers 65 to pass throughdie 64 and to seat in the external molds 92 shown in Fig. 5 in the lowerleft hand corner. These molds are carried by a turret 8I -see Fig.1-which has intermittent and herein rotational movement.

Following the seating of .the blanks in partial formation in the molds92 positioned as shownain Fig. 5 and in the left hand portion of Fig. 1,

reference being had to the turret, the plungers 6'5 45 are retracted tothe position shown in Fig. 1 and the blanking die structure 68 isretracted as shown in Fig. 1. When these dies are free of the sheet,sheet movement is effected for the presentation of new areas forblanking and forming and during thi feeding movementof-the sheet, the

turret is indexed 90, as shown in Fig. 1. The

sheet waste passes'to receptacle 86 as described.

In the turret indexing movement, the mold' divided structure shown inthe lower left hand por- 6 tion of Fig. 5 is assembled as shown in theupper right hand portion of Fig. 5. This is illustrated at station K inFig. 1. In-juxtaposition to these then linearly aligned molds 82,thereis provideda dual crossheadarrangement, one of which is of neckring character and, the other of which is of plunger character, therebeing*"as many neck ring and plungers as there are now linearly alignedmold cavities.

During the movement of the blanking die 68 to the right in Fig. 1, theneck ring I I0 advances to the mold. at station Kandengages thepartially formed article and the mold. Quring the advancing movement ofthe plunger 66 in Fig. '1, the plunger II I in Fig. 1 similarly isadvanced.

The retraction movements are similarly timed.

During the sheet advancing interval, the turret then moves the assembledand linearly aligned molds and included articles from station K tostation 14. He e n the s ng cross ead I I camby structure 62 shown inFig. 1, and by plungers 1 ing the forming plunger H8 is advanced duringplunger advance at other stations to semi-complete the article.Retraction of the crosshead III and plunger H8 is correspondingly timed.During thenext sheet advancing movement, the turret 81 again indexes thepreviously mentioned mold structure to station M where the articles aredischarged from mold 92.

A conveyor structure I21 carrying mushroomlike supports-see Fig. 1-isassociated with elevating and lowering mechanism, illustrated as ofswinging arm type and cam operable, so that when the articles areejected from the molds 92 by means such a indicated at I25, the articlesare supported by the then elevated mushroomlike supports I28-I29-I30carried by conveyor I21, see dotted lines, Fig. 2. Then when theconveyor is lowered for mold clearance, see full lines Fig. l, thearticles and mushroom-like supports are free oi. the molds. Uponsubsequent operation, the turret 8I indexe from station M to initialstation J and in that indexing movement, the mold arrangements separatefrom the closed arrangement shown in the upper part of Fig. 5 to theopen arrangement shown in the lower part 1 said figure, thus completingthe mold cycle upon the turret.

blank. The blanks thus partially Reference now will be had to Fig. 2.Therein there is illustrated a drier oven having the housing portionI60, adjustably controlled overhead vent arrangements I48I49, overheadbaille I46, and adjustably controlled heat supply arrangements, Il3-I6I-I at the bottom thereof. The conveyor I21 has its upper run enteringthe housing through the opening ML and thence passes upwardly to the topof the oven. In the oven the conveyor passes to and fro below the baflleas illustrated. Just above the lane of en trance to the conveyor,theconveyor passes out 5 This press is shown most clearly inFig. 3 and(J to movement relative thereto. It-is to be through an opposite openingI42 and i there associated with an article retainer arrangement I62which holds the article on the mushroom supports until the mushroomsupports are inverted. This member I62 is the cause of the inversion ofsaid mushroom supports because the same are so supported that theyalwaysmaintain, except at this portion of their travel, a predetermined andvertical position.

This discharge arrangement also is oscillatable and earn operable -seeI68 and IB'I-so that the article, if of cup formation, may be dischargedpositively from the mushroom supports by means 236-2 31, if desired, andbe received by a combination receiver and mold I64 carried by theconveyor arrangement I65. The lower run of the mushroom supportingconveyor I21 .from the discharge station N passes into the opening I42,thence, through the lower portion of the oven I46 and out through theopening IQI and back to the oscillatable support at station M-see Fig.l. The conveyor I65 from the station N-see Fig. 2- passes underthe-roller I13 and over the roller I16 and into the opening III of asemi-finishing press structure I18, the mold I66riding on an diustablebed plate I19 ofthat press.

it includes, if desired, a first and second stage formation structure,one of which may be a plunger without ameck ring and the other which maybe a plunger with a neck ring, both plungers having simultaneousmovement and the neck ring having predetermined timed movement, the sameoperating in timed relation with the plungers shown in Fig. 1,because'the conveyors have timed under- 1 of the article is eifected.

the conveyors and sheet move when the plungers and neck rings arestationary and ,vice

' and fro from the upper end of the oven toward the bottom thereof; thearticles during the inverted runs of said conveyor being retained in themolds, I64 by suitable guide and retainer arrangements illustratedinsaid Figs. 3 and 4,

. and indicated by the numeral 2-09, see Fig. 4.

low entrance opening I91 and thence passes-see Fig. 3below the pressshown in Fig. 3 and to the receiving station shown in Fig. 2 andindicated by the letter-N.

Reference now will be had to Fig. 4. In Fig. 4 there is shown adischarge arrangement at station Q. However,'as set forth in thecopending application and as hereinafter specified in the preferredspecific form of the invention, there is interposed between thedischarge M and station Q another and finishing press arrangementsubstantially similar to that illustrated the left hand portion of Fig.3 and herein the final finishing is effected by said second press. The

conveyor I65 after discharging from such a second finishing press mayenter a third oven, if desired, or may pass directly to the dischargestation Q. The articles then may be discharged from molds I65 into asuitable container 221 or asset forth in the aforementioned application,Serial No. 288,343, the articles may be discharged to other conveyormechanism for other treatmerit, such as ornamentation in addition toformation.

Having thus briefly described one form of apparatus suitable forpracticing the present process, one primary subject matter of thepresent invention, reference now will be had to the latter.

From the foregoing it will be understood the blank of pulp materialsuitably coated or impregnated or initially formed with certainingredients included therein is successively formed into articleformation at the various stations in connection with the turretarrangement. There is considerable moisture content present during thisformation. Some of this moisture by reason of and in the initialformation of the. article is mechanically extruded from the stock beingdeformed. The article then is passed through the first oven which is ata temperature'suflicient to remove considerable excess moisture. notmechanically removed heretofore. This tempera* ture is insumcient tocause thermal reaction between the ingredients applied to the sheet orwith which the sheet has been impregnated or which has been included inthe sheet in its initial formation. The articles supported on thesemushroom-like elements of the first conveyor arrangement permit thearticles to be subjected to what may. be termed free drying in-thisfirst oven. Free drying may be defined'as substantially drying at willwhile unconfined but mere y supported for transfer purposes.

After being free? dried the articles are subjected to a pressingoperation which further mechanically consolidates the pulp and theaddition products included therein orapplied thereto and alsomechanically distributes the surface exposed portions of the latterto agreater degree and compacts the product to the desired rigidity,

size and shape.

. This first oven in effect evaporates the mois ture carrying agent,usually water, as well as'the solvent of the solution containing theingredients other than the pulp. These may be resins or.

products of similar character or may be sizing materials. Thisevaporation or free 'drying usually leaves small granular parts of thesolids, such as the resin et cetera, between and on the fibers of thepulp.- The second oven operating at a much higher'temperature causes.the size or resin materials to melt or flux and flow,'thus insuringsubstantially complete surface coating upon the interior of the articlemore especially, although such coating-on the exterior of the article issimilarly melted and flowed. There thus results a substantially completesurface coating of the article and the article then may be discharged toa receiver as shown in Fig. 4.

. In many cases, however, it. is preferable to in-,

terpose between the discharge station Q-see Fig. 4and the second ovenshown in the same figure, a final finishing press similar to that shownin the left hand portion of Fig. 3 and this press applies pressure tothe article for consolidating the melted or fluxed size or resin on thesurface of the article and consolidates the pulp body into its finishedform, producing a product that is relatively rigid and which has a verysmooth finish and which is heat resistant and liquid repellent and inspecial instances is of electrical insulation character. In manyinstances the second finishing press, when provided, is not required tobe utilized.

' Substantially all stock ,folding or fiuting mark- By the judicious useof included ingredients,

such articles in addition may be provided with high dielectric strengthand thus be available for 59 electric insulationpurposes. In otherwords, an

article of this character may constitute an insulation type housing orcontainer for electrical equipment, such as a wall switch and the like,by way of example only.

It is to be understood the second oven does not completely remove allthe water from the stock. Usually what is commercially known as dryarticles contain approximately 5% or 6% of moisture, and if desired, thefinished products may contain that amount of moisture.

It also is to be understood that whenever and wherever desired, theplungers may be ofresilient character or may be of metal character andin n or which has been impregnated or coated with drying beinginsufllcient to cause reaction of the ingredients with reference to thepulp and then the final heating or' drying expelling the remainder ofthe moisture to the extent noted (commercialdryness) together with anyand all other solvents, theingredients-associated with the pulp meltingand flowing to form a finished surface or coating of the characterdescribed,

and whenever and wherever desired or required,-

such an article thus formed may'be further sub- Jected to the finalpressure consolidation or ironing and finishing step with or without theapplication of heat.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detailin the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be consideredas illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which willreadily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all areconsidered tube within, the broad scope of the invention, referencebeing had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. The process of forming molded, liquid repellent-and heat resist-antstructures of a shape other than a fiat sheet including molding a fiatblank of paper pulp sheet to substantial container structure form, thesheetincluding coating material of size, resin or like character andliquid solvent such as'water, et cetera, such molding mechanicallymodifying the sheet to the approximate final shape of the structure andsiniultaneously expressing a certain portion of the liquid ingsolvent toproduce a commercially dry structure and to melt and flow the surfacedistributed from the structure, then free drying the structure to expeladditional liquid from the structure and at a temperature insufiicientto thermally react upon the coating material, then pressure forming thestructure into final form and compacting the coating material upon thestructure, and then heating the final formed structure to a temperaturesufficient to expel additional liquid to produce a commercially drystructure and to melt and flow the coating material upon the surface ofthe structure to form a continuous and homogeneous coating of liquidrepellent and heat moisture from the structure but insuflicient tothermally affect the sizing, then pressing the partially dried and setin confined dished structure to smooth the structure into final form andsimultaneously distribute the surface exposed size over the structuresurface, and then heating the structure toan'appreciably highertemperature suilicient to remove additional moisture and siz size forsubstantially completely surface: coating of the dished structure.

3. In the art of forming molded structures of relatively deep cavitytype and from fiat suitably moistened blanks of paper sheet pulpincluding size and the like including forming the structure by aplurality of successive pressure applications upon the blank, suchformation including initial formation of pleating inthe structure sidewall by pressure to the blank central portion and subsequent stockdeformation and distribution by centrally and laterally applied pressureto eliminate evidence of the pleating, then free drying, the pressureformed structure at a'temperature insufilcient to cause thermal reactionof the size, then drying at a temperature sufllcient to cause thermalreaction of the size to melt, fiux and flow same upon the structuresurface, but insuflicient to scorch the latter, and then pressureforming the size coated structure to final form,

4. In the art of forming molded dished structures from fiat sheet moistpaper pulp including size and the like, the formation from flat sheet todished structure form, subjection of the formed structure to twosuccessive heats, the first heating in duration and temperature beinginsuflicient to thermally effect the size and the like but sufiicientfor partially drying the formed nonfiat structure to the desired degree,the second heating in duration and temperature being sufiicient to meltand flow the size over the structure surface and to further dry thestructure but insufilcient to scorch the same. and then pressure ironingand consolidating the formed pulp body and melted" surface following thesec-= ond heating.

5. In the art of forming molded dished struc--v tures from fiat sheetmoist paper pulp including size and the like, the formation from fiatsheet to, dished structure form, subjection of the formed structure totwo successive heats, the first heating in duration and temperaturebeing insuilicient to thermally effect the size and the like butsuflicient'for partially drying the formed nonfiat structure to thedesired degree, the second heating in duration and temperature beingsufficient to melt and flow the size over the structure surface and tofurther dry the structure but insuflicient to scorch the same, and bycompacting by pressure the structure body size and the like between theheatings.

6. In the art of forming molded dished structures from flat sheet moistpaper pulp including size and the like, the formation from fiat sheet todished structure form, subjection of the formed structure to twosuccessive heats, the first heating in duration and temperature beinginsufilcient to thermally effect the size and the like but sufficientfor partially drying the formed nonflat structure to the desired degree,the second heating in duration and temperature being suflicient to melt"and flow the size over the structure surface and to further dry thestructure but insuflicient to scorch the same, compacting by pressurethe structure body size and the like between the heatings, and thenironing and con- .solidating the pulp body and melted surface followingthe second ,heating.

'1. A method as defined by claim 3, character- I ized by pressureforming the free dried structure prior to'thermal reaction dry LEE M.WILEY.

